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US History timeline & concept chart: 16th-18th centuries (to 1754) British-American colonies: Difference between revisions

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*** peace agreements by 1627-32, but English expansion westward continued, led to war in 1644, finally Treat of 1646 turned tribes into English subjects, Virginia Colony expansion
*** peace agreements by 1627-32, but English expansion westward continued, led to war in 1644, finally Treat of 1646 turned tribes into English subjects, Virginia Colony expansion


==== '''House of Burgesses''', 1642-1776 ====
==== House of Burgesses, 1642-1776 ====
* local assembly/ legislature for Virginia colony, bicameral
* traditionally, "burgess" = a freeman from a "borough" or town in England
**
* assembly/ legislature for Virginia colony
* also called the "General Assembly" (officially renamed that after the Revolution)
* replaced the “Council of State” which operated under the Great Charter
* replaced the “Council of State” which operated under the Great Charter
* gained power over governors over time, representation expanded w/ colony
** was the first democratically elected assembly in the colonies
* met in Jamestown
** moved to Williamsburg in 1699 (
* bicameral: collectively the "General Assembly"
** upper house: "Council of State"
*** 12 members
**** also known as the "Governor's Council"
*** held legislative (shared powers w/ lower body), executive (advising body to the governor) and judicial powers
*** as with the governor, Council members were appointed by the king ("royal")
**** except during the Commonwealth, when the House of Burgesses selected the Council
* lower house: the "burgesses"
** = representatives from counties who were elected by free white males (and later, only property owners)
** local county officials were selected by the Governor
* the House of Burgesses gained power over governors over time
** representation expanded w/ colonial expansion
* tension w/ British government
* tension w/ British government